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Short Answer: C4 Energy is not bad for you if consumed moderately.
C4 energy drinks were released in 2018 by Nutrabolt, the same manufacturer that also launched Cellucor and rebranded XTEND.
C4 Energy is marketed as a pre-workout energy drink that aims to provide energy that’ll help you power through workouts and put you at the top of your game.
Let’s jump straight in and find out what the real deal is. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to decide if C4 is good or bad for you.
C4 energy drink isn’t bad for you as long as you don’t drink too much of it. It contains no sugar, carbs, or calories but it does have a higher-than-average 200 mg of caffeine which may be too much for those with low caffeine tolerance.
C4 energy drinks come in four tasty varieties including Original, Smart Energy, Ultimate, and Natural Zero.
Let’s dive into the details…
What Ingredients Are in C4?
C4 “Original” Carbonated
Ingredients
Every 16 fl. oz can of C4 Original Carbonated drink contains:
- 0 calories
- 0g total carbohydrates
- 0g total sugar
- 30mg niacin (as niacinamide)
- 6mcg vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin)
- 85mg potassium
The drink is made of 6.73g of Explosive Performance Energy Blend that has:
- Caffeine anhydrous (200mg)
- CarnoSyn Beta-alanine
- Beta power Betaine Anhydrous
- N-acetyl-l-tyrosine
- Citrulline malate
The drink has trace amounts of these ingredients:
- Carbonated water
- Citric Acid
- Natural flavours
- Artificial flavours
- Potassium sorbate
- Sucralose (artificial sweetener)
- Acesulfame potassium (artificial sweetener)
C4 “Smart Energy” Carbonated
Ingredients
A 16 fl. oz C4 Smart Energy Carbonated drink contains:
- 200mg caffeine
- 0 calories
- 0g total fat
- 0g total carbohydrate
- 0g total sugar
- 0g protein
- 0mg sodium
- 30mg niacin
- 6mcg vitamin B12
Other ingredients in the drink include:
- Carbonated water
- Malic acid
- Citric acid
- Cognizin citicoline
- Potassium benzoate
- Sucralose (artificial sweetener)
- InnovaTea green tea leaf extract
- Acesulfame potassium
- Natural flavours
- N-acetyl-l-tyrosine
- Sodium citrate
The drink doesn’t contain artificial colours or dyes.
C4 “Ultimate ” Carbonated
Ingredients
One can of 16 fl. oz C4 Ultimate Carbonated drink contains:
- 0 calories
- 0g total carbohydrates
- 0g total sugars
- 1g taurine
- 500mcg folic acid
- 110mg potassium
- 70mcg vitamin B12
- 1mg vitamin B6
- 60mg niacin
- 3.2g CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine
- 2g Betapower Betaine Anhydrous
- 6g Citrulline malate
- 1g Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate
The drink contains 708g C4 Ultimate Energy & Focus Blend that is made of:
- 300mg caffeine anhydrous
- N-acetyl-l-tyrosine
- Alphasize A-GPC (Alpha-Glyceryl Phosphoryl Choline)
- Zembrin (Sceletium Tortuosum) aerial parts extract
- Rauwoflia Vomitoria root extract
- Huperzine A (from toothed Clubmoss/Huperzia Serrata aerial parts extract)
There are also trace amounts of:
- Water
- Potassium sorbate
- Natural flavours
- Artificial flavours
- Sucralose (artificial sweetener)
- Acesulfame potassium (artificial sweetener)
- FD&C Yellow #6 (permitted food colouring by FDA)
Note: This ingredient list is based on the C4 Tropical Blast flavour.
C4 Energy “Natural Zero” Carbonated
Ingredients
A can of 12 fl. oz drink C4 Energy Natural Zero Carbonated drink has:
- 0 calories
- 120mg of natural caffeine from CoffeeBerry
- 0g total carbohydrates
- 0g total sugars
- 0g total fat
- 0g protein
- 250mg cognizin citicoline
- 1g taurine
- 0.5g tyrosine
Also, contain trace amounts of:
- Carbonated water
- Natural flavours
- Malic acid
- Citric acid
- Stevia leaf extract
- Coffeeberry energy fruit extract
The drink does not contain artificial dyes, colours, or preservatives.
C4 Energy Drink Flavors
C4 “Original” Carbonated
- Sour Batch Bros
- Cotton Candy
- Midnight Cherry
- Orange Slice
- Purple Frost
- Strawberry Watermelon Ice
- Frozen Bombsicle
- Twisted Limeade
- Tropical Blast
- Cherry Limeade
C4 “Smart Energy” Carbonated
- Freedom Ice
- Electric Sour
- Cotton Candy
- Peach Mango Nectar
C4 “Ultimate ” Carbonated
- Arctic Snow Cone
- Sour Batch Bros
- Tropical Blast
C4 Energy “Natural Zero” Carbonated
- Cherry Lime
- Strawberry Coconut
- Blueberry Lemonade
How Many Cans Of C4 Can You Drink In A Day?
My advice is not to exceed one can of C4 Energy per day. That’s assuming you’re a healthy individual with no pre-existing medical conditions.
If you notice the label printed on the back of the can of C4 energy drinks, you’ll see the recommendation not to exceed two servings within any 24-hour period.
The reason behind this has got to do with the amount of caffeine and sugar present in energy drinks.
Given that all C4 energy drinks contain zero sugar, we’ll focus on the caffeine content present in the four different C4 energy drink versions.
| C4 Variants | Caffeine content |
| Original | 200mg |
| Smart Energy | 200mg |
| Ultimate | 300mg |
| Natural Zero | 120mg |
According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the recommended maximum daily caffeine intake for an average healthy adult is 400mg.
If you take the numbers literally, you might think it’s safe to drink two cans of C4 Original, Smart Energy, and Natural Zero on the same day. That’s assuming you’re not also consuming other caffeinated products such as coffee, chocolate, soda, tea, and medication.
How Long Do C4 Energy Drinks Last In Your System?
The effects of C4 on your body ultimately come down to your tolerance to caffeine and the other ingredients in the blend.
Caffeine has a half-life of 5-6 hours. Following consumption, the amount of caffeine in your bloodstream will slowly decrease and its effects become less noticeable. It’ll generally take 12 hours or more for caffeine to leave your system completely.
However, if you’re more sensitive to the stimulants, you might feel the effects for a much longer period.
What Happens If You Drink Too Much C4?
Given the relatively high amount of caffeine present in C4, there is a risk of caffeine overdose if consumed recklessly. There is also the case of caffeine dependence that can result in caffeine withdrawal.
Some unpleasant side effects associated with consuming too much caffeine include:
- dehydration
- insomnia
- restlessness
- headaches
- rapid heart rate
- fatigue
Caffeine has its benefits but like everything else, too much of anything even good things can be harmful.
Are There Any Artificial Sweeteners in C4?
Yes, there are artificial sweeteners in C4.
Artificial sweeteners like sucralose and Ace-K (acesulfame potassium) are added in place of sugar to sweeten up the drinks.
C4 energy drinks are sugar-free, so that puts C4 on the healthier side especially if you’re concerned about your sugar intake.
Although artificial sweeteners are FDA-approved, there have been some differences in opinion on whether or not artificial sweeteners are harmful.
In my opinion, as long as you’re drinking C4 in moderation, you shouldn’t have to worry about it. If you’re still in doubt, I suggest you consult your doctor first before consuming products with artificial sweeteners.
Are C4 Energy Drinks Banned In Sports?
If you’re asking about the ready-to-drink, carbonated C4 energy drinks, the answer is NO, C4 is not banned in sports.
However, it turns out that another product of C4 (nothing to do with the ready-to-drink ones) is actually banned.
In 2012, 10 football players from Menomonie high school were temporarily suspended from playing the games in the next season.
It was revealed that they consumed the dietary supplement Cellucor C4 Extreme drink which contains Synephrine HCL, unaware that it’s a substance banned by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.
Synephrine is a performance enhancer that is thought to give athletes an edge over their opponents, thus banned in many sports.
The FDA has also banned the use of Methylsynephrine in dietary supplements and Cellucor has since then reformulated its product and removed synephrine from its list of ingredients.
Is C4 Healthier than Red Bull?
Healthwise, I find it hard to decide which one between C4 and Red Bull is healthier. Both energy drinks are loaded with relatively high dosages of caffeine and other active ingredients.
However, for the sake of picking one, I’d go for Red Bull just because it has less caffeine. I prefer energy drinks with less caffeine. But that’s just me.
Whichever you choose, always keep in mind to consume energy drinks in moderation.
Are C4 Energy Drinks Bad For You?
I personally don’t think that C4 energy drinks are bad for you as long as you consume them moderately.
Energy drinks can actually be good for you if consumed wisely.
If you need an extra boost to push through your workouts or when you’re cramming for finals, a can of C4 might be of benefit to you.
But they can easily turn the other way if you’re not careful. Also, if you’re pregnant or have any pre-existing medical conditions you might want to lay off the energy drinks, especially those with higher caffeine content.
Meanwhile, if you’d like a more detailed review of C4, feel free to check out this other article I’ve written.
Side Effects of C4 Energy Drinks
Here are the side effects of C4 Energy when consumed too much:
- headaches
- jitters
- rapid heartbeat
- insomnia
- restlessness
- vomitting
Alternatives To C4 Energy Drinks
You’ll find plenty of alternatives to C4 energy drinks in the market today. Here’s a list of ready-to-drink options.
- Monster
- Red Bull
- Celsius
- Rockstar
- XS
- Monster Import (not the same as your regular Monster)
- Rip It
- Bing
- Guru
- Xyience
There’s also a caffeinated supplement by the name of Mio water drops as an alternative.
You might want to consider powdered energy drinks as they are more convenient to carry around and much more affordable than your regular energy drink options.
Here are a few names for you to take a look at:
- Gfuel
- Zipfizz
- Advocare Spark
- REIZE (on top of my favourite energy drinks list)
REIZE (my go-to drink)
Making a glass of REIZE energy drink for yourself is really easy. Simply mix the 4g of powder into any of your favourite beverages and voila!
REIZE is rich with nutrients like taurine, B Vitamins, ginseng, and more, thus a great daily supplement for your health.
Each sachet comes with 50mg of caffeine, a reasonable amount that’ll enhance your physical and mental performance.
REIZE is sugar-free too, so it’s great for weight-watchers.
REIZE is shipped straight to your doorstep at only around $1 per sachet, including shipping costs.
That’s an incredible value.
Give REIZE a shot today and I’ll bet you agree with me that it’s even better than C4.
